Fall N.Y. guide: It's playtime for the big leagues, as well as tennis, soccer and other sports

By JACOB E. OSTERHOUT

|NEW YORK DAILY NEWS|

Sep 30, 2012 | 6:00 AM

New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter executes his signature jump-and-throw play against the Texas Rangers. The Yankees have a strong chance of making the playoffs, which start in October. (Ron Antonelli/New York Daily News)

There's no better time to be a sports fan in New York City than in the fall. After all, it's the only season when all four major sports leagues (and Major League Soccer!) are in action. The NFL season begins in September, followed by the NHL in October and the NBA in November. Plus, the MLB playoffs arrive in October, which is exciting news for Yankees fans.

Beyond big-name sports, there are tons of other exciting athletic events in the five boroughs this fall, like the ING New York City Marathon on Nov. 4 and the Brooklyn Pinball Championship on Oct. 19 and Nov. 16. So while the leaves might be falling, enthusiasm is on the rise for New York City sports fans.

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The Yankees conclude the regular season with a three-game homestand against the beleaguered Boston Red Sox to kick off October. The 2012 postseason then kicks off on Oct. 5, and for the first time, Major League Baseball will include two wild card teams from each league in the playoffs. All games but two will be broadcast on TBS until the World Series, which begins on Oct. 24 and will be broadcast by Fox Sports.

The New York Giants look to repeat their Super Bowl-winning ways this fall. QB Eli Manning and his team will be tested mightily in the four games between Oct. 14 and Nov. 4, when they play at San Francisco, home against the Washington Redskins, next at Dallas and then at home against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Or will this be the year that the New York Jets claim their first NFL Championship since 1968? Led by the quarterback tandem of Mark Sanchez and Tim Tebow, Gang Green faces off against the much-improved Houston Texans at MetLife Stadium on Oct. 8. But their biggest test will come at home against division rival the New England Patriots on Nov. 22.

Nothing signals the new season more than big guys skating fast and hard on ice. Assuming there is no lockout, the Rangers will kick off their regular season on Friday, Oct. 12, but they don't play at Madison Square Garden until a Nov. 1 matchup against the Dallas Stars.

Looking for more hockey in October? On Saturday, Nov. 3, the New Jersey Devils start the season at home at the Prudential Center in Newark against Sidney Crosby and the Penguins, and the New York Islanders get down to business against the Stars at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

It's hard to imagine, but the Knicks are not the most-talked-about NBA team in New York this fall. With a beautiful new stadium, the Brooklyn Nets are making things buzz. The Nets and Knicks face off at Barclays Center on Thursday, Nov. 1, to kick off their NBA seasons. The very next day, Lebron James, Dwayne Wade and the defending champion Miami Heat come to Madison Square Garden to face the Knicks, while the Nets play the Toronto Raptors on Saturday, Nov. 3.

And let's not forget about the most popular sport in the world, soccer. The New York Red Bulls close out their regular season in October with two home games at the rocking, and often overlooked, Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J. Barring a late-season collapse, Thierry Henry and friends are then off to the playoffs in early November.

Tennis fans might be feeling a little let down, now that the US Open has come and gone. But fear not, there's more hard-court fun on the horizon. The NASDAQ Indexes Cup , featuring tennis legends Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras, John McEnroe and Patrick Rafter, comes to Madison Square Garden on Nov. 5. The players will contest a one-set semifinals round with the winners battling in the championship.

What about the amateurs? College hockey and basketball gets rolling in November. The 2K Sports Classic come to Madison Square Garden on Nov. 15 and 16, featuring Villanova, Purdue, Alabama and Oregon State.

Not to be outdone, Barclays Center will host three college basketball events in November. On Nov. 9, the Barclays Center Classic will feature last year's NCAA champion, Kentucky, against Maryland, along with LIU vs. Morehead State in the first college hoops games at the new arena.

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On Nov. 16 and 17, BYU, Florida State, Notre Dame and Saint Joseph's will face off at Barclays Center in the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic . A few days later, on Nov. 19 and 20, Barclays will host the Legends Classic , showcasing games between Georgetown, Indiana, UCLA and Georgia.

For college hockey fans, Cornell and Michigan will battle at MSG on Nov. 24 in "The Frozen Apple, " a rematch of last year's NCAA Tournament game, which Cornell won.

Get in the ring with the unified super lightweight world championship boxing match between Danny Garcia and Erik Morales at the Barclays Center. Or check out WWE Raw at the IZOD Center on Oct. 22.

Looking for something a bit more graceful? The Kellogg's Tour of Gymnastics Champions , a national tour featuring Team USA's top gymnasts, comes to the Prudential Center on Nov. 10 and the Barclays Center on the 18th.

No matter what kind of game you want, there's something that'll make you stand and cheer in New York this autumn.